The East Carolina University Student Pirate Club and the American Red Cross will sponsor the ECU vs. NCSU Blood Battle, just days before the intense rivalry between the two universities will play out in a football contest at Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium.

The blood drive sparks a competition between ECU and NCSU students for total numbers of pints collected. ECU’s drive calls for all who bleed purple and gold to come to Harvey Hall in the Murphy Center Oct. 13 from 1 p.m. to 7 p.m. The first 375 donors will receive a free ECU vs. NCSU Blood Battle t-shirt.

Organizers hope for a repeat of ECU’s resounding victory in the 2008 blood battle, when ECU students waited in long lines to donate a total of 315 pints of blood, while NCSU students donated 93 pints.

The 2009 battle was successful as well, surpassing its goal of 255 pints.

The ECU Pirates football team will take on the NCSU Wolfpack Oct. 16 at noon in Dowdy-Ficklen Stadium in Greenville.